Rail securing and supporting device



RAIL SECURING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed July .25, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet1 III/4 4 6 g i ll W695 L v INVENTOR. {Z 1 9' v 1 Green:

- ATTORNEYS.

July 6, 1937. o. v. GREENE I RAIL SECURING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE FiledJuly 25, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LII/7 I INVENTOR. 2 Oscczr 1 GreeneATTORNEYS July 6, 1937. 0. vi GREENE RAIL SECURING AND SUPPORTING DEVICEFiled July 25, 1934 3 Sheets- Sheet s II II A III/II{III/22227112247247.2222 E INVENTOR. OjCar MGrec/ze 5 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 6, 1937 UNITE rnrss PATENT creme SECURING SUPPORTINGDEVICE Oscar V. Greene, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application Jnly 25,1934, Serial No. 736,8'10

This invention relates in general to devices for resiliently supportingrailroad rails on and securing them to the tie plates and cross-ties.

Among other objects of the invention are to provide devices of thecharacter described which may be used to replace existing devices oithis character which have become worn out or broken; which are of suchconstruction as to be readily manufactured by ordinary commercialmethods and with equipment now in use for manufacturing railaccessories; which hold the rails securely in position while permittinga certain degree of freedom of movement of the rails occasioned bymovement of the rolling stock thereover and which may be easily securedin position and removed without the aid of special tools.

To the accomplishment, of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims; the. annexed drawings and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain structures embodying theinvention, such disclosed structures constituting,

- however, but a few of the various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be embodied.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a structure embodying the preferredforms of the rail supporting and securing devices; Fig. 2 is anelevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, .viewed from the inner sideof the rail; Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of one of the assembled .railsecuring devices of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the springclip shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of thepreferred form of rail 40 supporting or cushioning device; Figs. 8 and 9are fragmentary views showing a modified form of rail securing device;Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing a third form of rail securingdevice; Figs. 11 and 12 are fragmentary views showing 45 a fourth formof rail securing device and also a modified form of supporting orcushioning device; Figs. 13 and 14 are fragmentary views of a fifth formof rail securing device as well as a modified form of rail supporting orcushioning de- 59 vice; Figs. 15 and 16 are fragmentary views of a sixthform of rail securing device; Fig. 17 is a plan view of a structureembbdying a-tie plate,

a rail securing device somewhat similar to that shown in 10 and amodifiedform of rail 55 cushioning device; Fig. 18 is a fragmentaryele-' vation of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1'7; Fig. 19 isa view of a structure similar to that shown in Figs. 17 and 18, and inwhich a wooden crosstie is employed and the side guards on the tie platefor the spring clip are omitted; Figs. 20 5 and 21 are perspective viewsof modified forms of rail cushioning devices adapted to be used in thatform of construction shown in Figs. 17, 18 and 19; and Figs. 22 and 23are fragmentary perspective views of modified forms of steel crossties.10 In the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7inclusive, a steel crosstie l is employed which is of standardcross-section and upon the upper flange 2 of which the rail 3 is adaptedto be supported. The flange 2- is punched 15 at points adjacent the railbase to provide rectangular openings 4, which openings are of such .asize as to receive rail clips and securing bolts 01' a standard form nowin use, so that the securing devices now about to be described arereadily 20 adapted to be used as replacement equipment for such standarddevices after the latter have become worn out or broken in use. Each ofthe rail securing devices or clamps consists of a rail retaining member5 and a spring clip 6 which co- 25 operates with the member 5 tosecurely hold the rail against lateral displacement while permitting acertaindegree of "breathing or canting of the rail which will bepresently described. The railretaining members 5 'may be made asforgings 30 or as malleable or steel castings and each has an opening Iextending therethrough which is defined at the top by a convex surface 8which slopes abruptly upwardly adjacent that end of the opening whichlies adjacent the base of the rail 3 and slopes upwardly more gentlyadjacent that end of the opening which is more remote from the railbase. Each of the members 5 is also provided with a tenon-likedownwardly extending portion 9 which occupies a portion of the opening 4and terminates in a jaw it which underlies the flange i of the crosstieand cooperates with the spring clip now to be described to limitvertical movement of the rail. The clip 6 is preferably made of springsteel and extends through the opening I in' the member 5, being providedwith a rebent end i l, a portion of which is pressed .downwardly toprovide a tenc -like element l2, which is of rectangular contour and isdisposed in and occupies substantially all of that portion of theopening d which is not occupied by the tenonlike portion ii of themember 5. The member 5 and clip 6 thus serve not only to clamp therailin position but also to lock each other in position so as to preventdisplacement of either from its operative position. The inner or freeend of the clip 6 bears resiliently against the upper surface of thebase l3 of the rail 3. Interposed between the flange 2 of the crosstie Iand the rail base [3 is a resilient wedge-shaped cushioning device Hwhich is in the form of a rectangular platehaving corrugations l5extending transversely of the rail and increasing in depth and widthfrom the inner edge of the rail base to the outer edge thereof, theplate l4 being also provided with downwardly extending flanges [6 whichengage the flange 2 of the crosstie and preventdisplacement of thecushioning plate longitudinally of the rail. Lateral displacement of theplate I4 is prevented by the members 5. In order to remove therail-securing devices, it is only necessary to insert a chisel orcrowbar under the rebent ends If of the spring clips so as to liftthemsufficiently to withdraw the elements l2 from the: openings 4,whereupon the devices may be shifted away from the rail base, as by ahammer blow, and removed from the crosstie.

It will be noted that the rail is canted inwardly to a slight extent, sothat when a train moves over the rails, the latter tends to rock in anare having as its center the lower inboard edge of the rail base flangel3, the rail assuming a substantially vertical position during suchpassage of the train thereover. This rocking movement, which, togetherwith the return of the rails to their normal canted position, I termbreathing of the rails, is cushioned in a desired manner by means of thecorrugated plate 14. During this so-called breathing of the rails, thebases l3 thereof are elevated to a very slight extent, but suchmovement, most of which is communicated in compression to the thick endof the wedge-shapedcushioning device 14, contrary to its tendency toloosen rail devices now in common use, actually tends to cause themembers 5 and clips 5 to more tightly grip or clamp the rail. Thisresults from the fact that the curved surface 8 of the member5constitutes a variable fulcrum for the spring clip 6, so that as thespring flexes upwardly upon raising of the rail base, the fulcrum pointshifts toward the rail so as to increase the tension of the clip againstthe rail flange and hold the locking element I2 more-securely inposition. Maximum protection against dislodgement of the spring clipduring track service or accident is thus afforded.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs.

.8 and 9, the rail-retaining member 20, which corprovided with beveledends so as to facilitate insertion of the member in position by merelystriking it with a hammer until the-elements spring apart and intolocking engagement with the flange 2 of the crosstie. The spring clip23, in this case, is fulcrumed on the member 20 and is formed with arebent portion 24 which terminates in anintegral t'enon-like'end 25which extends downwardly into the opening 26 in the crosstie and betweenthe elements 2| and -22 and thus locks the member 2!! in position so asto prevent unauthorized removal of the latter. It will be noted that themember 20 is locked in position as efiectively 'as the member 5 in thepre-: ferred form of the invention, that upward movement of the railbase serves to increase the tension of the spring clip on the rail baseand that the member 20 cannot be removed without first removing thespring clip or at least withdrawing the end 25 thereof from its positionbetween the elements 2| and 22.

In those forms of the invention shown in Figs. 10 to 16 inclusive, thestructure is simplified to the extent that the rail retaining membersare not formed as separate or independent parts, as in Figs. 1 to 9inclusive, but are formed integrally with the crosstie.

In Fig. 10, the metal of the flange 2 of the crosstie is deformed byspecial dies to provide integral rail-retaining or engaging members orribs 30. These ribs extend for a short distance alongside the rail baseand terminate in side guards 3| for the spring clips. The metal is sodeformed as to leave an opening 32 through. which the rebent portion 33of the spring clip 34 extends, the flange 2 of the crosstie beingfurther provided with a socket or recess 35 to receive the hook-like end36 of the spring clip- .The rebent portion 33 of the spring clip is. ofreduced width so as to provide shoulders 31, which cooperate with thehooklike end 36 of the clip to lock the clip in position. It will benoted that the spring clip is fulcrumed directly on the flange 2 of thecrosstie and that vertical movement of the rail base tends only to lockthe spring clip more securely in position.

In Figs. 11 and 12, the construction is substantially the same as inFig. 10, with the exception of the spring clip and rail cushioningdevice. In this case, thespring clip 40 is provided at theintersectionof its main and rebent portionswith ahump 4| whichcooperates with the hook-like end 42 of the clip to lock the latter inoperative position. The wedge-shaped rail cushioning device, in thiscase, comprises a plate 43 which is bent into the form of an arch, theheight of which increases from the inner edge of the rail base to theouter edge thereof. The plate 43 is also provided with downwardlyextending flanges 44 which prevent movement of the plate longitudinallyof the rail.

In Figs. 13 and 14, the metal of the upper flange 2 of the crosstie isslit at suitable points and is pressed or stretched upwardly into a railretaining member in the form of a loop 50, the sides 5| of whichformside guards for a spring clip 52. The transverse portion of the loopis provided in its lower surface with a recess 53 forming a seat adaptedto receivethe hook-like end 54 of the rebent portion 55 of the springclip. The spring clip is fulcrumed on the flange 2 of the crosstie andit will be noted that any upward movement of the railbase tends to moreeffectively hold the spring clip in its operative position. Thewedgeshaped rail-cushioning device employed is in the form of a plate 56provided with corrugations which extend longitudinally of the rail andincrease in depth from the inner edgeof the rail base to the outer edgethereof, the plate terminating at its outer edge in a rebent flange 51hav-. ing a curved portion 58 which is interposed between the outer edgeof the rail base and the loo-p 50. This flange takes the" wearoccasioned by the breathing of the rail, transferring the.

wear from the loop 50 which is an integral part of the crosstie and istherefore not readily replaceable to the cushioning device which isinex-. pensive and may be quickly and easily replaced.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the. metal ofthe upper flange of the crosstie is slit at suitable points, the slittedportion b ing pressed or stretched into the form of a loop 60, the lowersurface 6! of the transverse portion of which is inclined to form abearing or fulcrum for the correspondingly inclined portion of thespring clip 62. This spring clip is provided with a rebent portion 63terminating in a tenon 64 which extends downwardly into an opening 65 inthe upper flange of the crosstie. This tenon prevents movement of thespring clip away from the rail, while a protrusion 66, formed bypressing the metal of the spring clip upwardly, serves as a stop tolimit the movement of the spring clip towards the rail, the tenon 64 andstop 66 cooperating to lock the spring clip against movement normal tothe rail and the side walls of the loop 60 preventing movement of thespring clip longitudinally of the rail.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the rail issupported on a tie-plate 10 which in turn is removably secured to theflange 2 of the crosstie as by means of spring clips Ii. The metal ofthe tie plate is deformed to provide integral rail-retaining or engagingmembers or ribs 12, which extend for a short distance alongside the railbase and terminate in side guards 13 for the spring clips. The metal isso deformed as to leave an opening I4 through which the rebent portion15 of the spring clip 16 extends, the tie-plate being further providedwith a socket. or recess TI to receive the hook-like end 18 of thespring clip. The spring clip 16 is similar to the spring clip 34 and issecured to the tie plate in the same manner in which the clip 34 issecured to the crosstie.

In that form of construction shown in Fig. 19, the construction issimilar to that shown in Figs. 17 and 18, with the exception that theWalls 83 adjacent the sides of the opening 14 do not extend above theupper surface of the rib 12 as in Fig. 18, and the tie plate 10 issecured to a wooden crosstie 8| as by means of screw bolts 82 instead ofto a steel crosstie. i

- Where the rail is supported on a tie plate, as in Figs. 17, 18 and 19,the tie plate is preferably provided in its upper surface with a seat orrecess 83 extending longitudinally of the rail and adapted to receive arail-cushioning device. This rail-cushioning device may be in the formof a single corrugated strip 84 of spring steel, as shown in Fig. 20,which is provided at its ends with downwardly extending flanges 85embracing the sides of the tie plate so as to prevent longitudinaldisplacement of the strip. To facilitate replacement of the cushioningdevice in case of breakage, it is preferred to employ the device shownin Figs. 17 and 18, consisting of two corrugated strips 86 havinginterlocking ends 81, and which may be inserted in position by merelypushing the strips endwise into the recess 83. In place of a corrugatedmetal strip, a cushioning device such as shown in Fig. 21 may beemployed, which comprises metallic strips 90 and 9| between which isinterposed a layer 92 of rubber or other resilient material.

It will be understood that the railcushioning.

devices shown in Figs. 17 to 21 inclusive function in a manner similarto those of the previously described rail-cushioning devices tofacilitate breathing of the rails.

Instead of using a steel crosstie of a conventional form, as shown inFig. 2, steel crossties such as shown in Figs. 22 and 23 may beemployed, in which the bottom flange I0!) is arched to increase thecushioning effect of the crosstie, so as to more closely approach thecushioning effect of an ordinary wooden crosstie. Also, as shown in Fig.23, the flat marginal portions IOI of the bottom flange of the crosstiemay be provided at their ends with downwardly extending pointed memberswhich are adapted to be embedded in the roadbed and assist in preventinglateral displacement of the crosstie.

It is thus seen that I have provided devices of thecharacter describedwhich, insome instances, may be used to replace existing equip- 'ment ofsimilar character at a minimum cost,

which c anbe readily manufactured by ordinary casting, rolling,punching, pressing and forging operations andwith equipment now in usefor manufacturing similar devices, which effectively serve .the purposesfor which they have been designed and which can be easily secured inposition and removed without the aid of tools other than those usuallyemployed for track-laying and maintenance purposes. e

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being madeas regards 'the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of thefollowingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means'be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In combination, rail-supporting means, a rail mounted thereon, arail-retaining member having a portion engaging the edge of the railbase, said portion having an opening extending therethrough, saidopening being bounded on its upper portion by a convex surface, and aspring clip extending through said opening and having a surface facingsaid convex surface which is curved oppositely to that of said convexsurface, said clip heating at its ends on said rail supporting means andrail base respectively and intermediate its ends against said convexsurface, said convexsurface constituting a variable fulcrum for theclip.

2. In combination, a rail, a cross-tie for sup porting said rail, aresilientrail cushioning device interposed between said cross-tie andrail,

' said cushioning device increasing in depth from the inner edge of therail base flange-to the outer edge thereof, and means securing saidrail'to said cross-tie.

3. In combination, rail supporting means, .a rail mounted thereon, arail-cushioning device interposed between said supporting device andrail, said cushioning device comprising a plate having corrugationsextending transversely of the rail base flange and increasing in depthfrom the inner edge'of said flange to the outer edge thereof, and meanssecuring said rail to said supporting means.

4. In combination, rail supporting means, a rail mounted thereon, arail-cushioning device interposed between said supporting means and theouter portion of the base flange of said rail, said cushioning devicecomprising metallic plates of a width considerably narrower than thewidth of the base flange of said rail and having a layer of resilientmaterial interposed therebetweemand means securing said rail to saidsupporting means.

5. In combination, rail supporting means, a rail mounted thereon, arail-cushioning device interposed between said supporting means andrail, said cushioning device comprising a plate having corrugationsextending parallel wlth'the rail and increasing in depth from the inneredge of the base flange of'the rail to the outer edge thereoi', andmeans securing said rail to said supporting means.

6. A rail cushioning device comprising a corrugated plate, thecorrugations increasing in depth from one edge of said plate to theopposite edge thereof.

7. In combination, a rail, rail-supporting means, means interposedbetween said rail and supporting means for resiliently cushioning saidrail, said last-named means cushioning the outer portion of the rail toan extent greater than the inner portion thereof, and means forresiliently maintaining said rail in engagement with said cushioningmeans.

8. In combination, a rail, rail-supporting means, means underlying saidrail for resiliently cushioning the same, said last-named meanscushioning the outer portion of the rail to a degree greater than theinner portion thereof, and a spring clip resiliently retaining said railin engagement with said cushioning means.

9. In combination, a cross-tie, spaced rails mounted on said cross-tie,said rails being normally inclined inwardly but movable to a verticalposition in response to movement of rolling stock thereover, meansunderlying said rails for resiliently cushioning the same during suchmovement of rolling stock, and spring clips bearing upon the outerportions of the rail base flanges for limiting the inward inclination ofthe rails, said clips bearing on said flanges throughout said movementof the rails.

10. In combination, a cross-tie, spaced rails mounted on said cross-tie,said rails being normally inclined inwardly but movable to a verticalposition in response to movement of rolling stock thereover, meansunderlying said rails for resiliently cushioning the same during suchmovementof rolling stock, said means cushioning the outboard portion ofthe rails to a degree greater than they cushion the inboard portions ofthe .rail, and means securing said rail to said supporting means.

12. Rail cushioning means comprising a resilient wedge-shaped deviceadapted to be disposed beneath a rail with its edge of maximum depthadjacent the outboard portion of the rail, where- I by to provide avariable cushioning eflect transversely of said-rail. i

13. In combination, rail supporting means, a rail mounted thereon, aresilient variably compressible rail-cushioning device interposedbetween said supporting means and rail, said device having its edge ofmaximum compressibility disposed adjacent the outboard portion of therail, whereby to provide a variable cushioning effect transversely ofsaid rail, and means securing said rail to said supporting means.

-14. Rail cushioning means comprising a resilient variably compressibledevice adapted to be disposed beneath a rail with its edge of maximumcompressibility adjacent the outboard portion of the rail, whereby toprovide a variable cushioning effect transversely of said rail.

15. In combination, a rail having a base, a rail support, a resilientdevice interposed between said base and support, said device adapted toyield to a greater degree at one side of said base than at the oppositeside thereof, and means securing said rail to said support:

16. In combination, a railroad track comprising rails and supportstherefor, said rails comprising heads, webs and base flanges, resilientmeans cooperating with said base flanges and said supports to cushionone edge of each of said flanges to a greater extent than the oppositeedges thereof during the movement of trains over said track, and meanssecuring said rails to said supports,

17. In combination, a. rail, a rail support, a thinly tapered resilientdevice interposed between said rail and said support, said device beingarranged to flex to a greater degree at one side of said rail than atthe opposite side thereof, and means securing said rail to said support.

18. In combination, rail supporting means, a rail mounted thereon havinga base flange comprising inboard and outboard portions, yielding meansinterposed between said supporting means and outboard portion of saidbase flange, whereby to permit movement of said portion of the flangerelatively to said supporting means during passage of a train over saidrail, and means for maintaining the inboard edge of said inboard portionof the flange relatively stationary with respect to said supportingmeans during such passage of a train.

19. In combination, a railroad track comprising rail supports, railsmounted thereon having base flanges comprising inboard and outboardportions, said supports being adapted to permit said rails to rockslightly about the inboard edges of said flanges during passage of atrain over said track, means interposed between said supports and theoutboard portions of said flanges for cushioning said rocking movementof said rails, and means securing said rails to said supports.

20. In combination, a rail support, a rail mounted thereon comprising acentral web and inboard and outboard base flanges extending fromopposite sides of said web, means cooperating with said support tosecure the edge of said inboard flange against movement with respect tosaid support and means interposed between said support and outboardflange to provide a cushion therebetween.

21. In a railroad track, the combination with rail supports of T rails,said rails being tiltable on' said supports aboutthe inboard edges ofthe bases of said rails, resilient devices interposed between saidsupports and the outboard portions of said rail bases adapted to cushionsaid last-named portions of the rail bases during passage of trains oversaid track,- and means securing said rails to said supports.

22. In a railroad track, the combination with rail supports of T railsmounted on said supports and comprising heads, webs and base flangesextending transversely of said webs, said base flanges having inboardedges maintained relatively stationary with respect to said supports,and outboard portions movable vertically towards said supports inresponse to passage of a train over said track, compressible devicesinterposed between said supports and said outboard portions of saidflanges retarding said vertical movement, and means securing said railsto said supports.

aosaevo 5 supports, rails having base flanges mounted on said supports,the inboard portions of said flanges coacting with said supports toprovide a hinge joint about which the outboard portions of said flangesmay rotate, elastic means interposed between said supports and saidoutboard portions of the base flanges to cushion said rotary movement,and means securing said rails to said supports.

10 ment.

24. In a railroad track, the combination oi. rail oscaa momma. 1o

